Catalyst
by Anna Navarro
Summary: What if, after the unmasking scene, Christine personally felt the weight of her actions and regretted her foolishness. A rewriting of the original story that shows how Erik and Christine's relationship would've developed if she had learned to see the man behind the monster.
1. To Be Torn

**To Be Torn**

 _"I know you don't believe me, but I'm sorry that I failed to be torn"_

* * *

I closed my eyes as tightly as I could, trying hard to fight the tears that burned behind my lids, threatening to fall at any moment. The hard, stone floor was cold beneath my body and the feeling of fear and tension around me was so dense I could practically touch it. I couldn't believe I had been so foolish. I had this terrible habit of doing things by impulse sometimes, without really thinking of the consequences, and when those came back lashing out at me, I instantly regretted my recklessness. However, of all foolish things I had ever done in my entire life, this one had taken its toll.

His voice cut through my skin like a dagger, piercing my flesh until my very core. I never wanted it to be like this. I never meant for it to be like this, but here I was. Cowering on the floor like a child scared of the bogeyman as it haunted her dreams, trying desperately to wake up but never being able to. Because this wasn't a dream. This was real, and that made everything even more scary.

"DAMN YOU!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, collapsing down on the floor a few feet away from me. "CURSE YOU!"

Feeling a wave of sadness and regret flood through me, I looked up from my cowering position on the floor and fixed my eyes on the man that had once been my guardian, my Angel, and that now seemed so hurt and fragile kneeling down beside me. He was just a man. I should've been angry by the fact that he had lied to me and deceived me into believing he was my Angel of Music, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Not when I had hurt him so badly with my foolishness.

"I'm not exactly what you dreamt I would be, am I, Christine?" He said with a sudden tone of anger in his voice. "Look at you… You can't even bear the sight of me! I should have known better."

The venom and hurt in his voice cut through me like a sword. I had tried really hard to stop my tears until that moment, but those words were just too much for me.

"I thought you could have learned to see, to find the man behind the monster and turn your fear into love. But all I see is the disgust in your eyes when you look at my face! Why did you have to do it, Christine?" He kept speaking, almost as if to himself. "Why did you have to reveal this… Repulsive carcass that lies beneath my mask? This creature, this beast, that burns in hell, but… Secretly, just secretly, yearns for heaven and dreams of beauty. Oh Christine… No."

And upon finishing his speech, my former Angel of Music looked away from me, in shame of his apparently hideous appearance. It was only on that moment that I snapped out of my sorrowful trance and noticed that his mask was lying on the floor only a few inches away from me. Everything had happened so fast that I didn't even acknowledge the fact that I had been holding it the whole time, only letting go when I stumbled and fell on the floor.

I took the mask back and observed it for a moment. Its surface was made out of the most precious white porcelain, sculpted to perfection to fit the facial features of the man who wore it. The creator had put so much thought and care into it, that even small details such as the shape of the eyebrow and structure of the cheekbones were thoroughly added into it. It was the work of an artist. A face for a faceless man.

Swallowing up my shame and fear, I carefully moved closer to my Angel, who was still curled up on the floor just like me, and gently handed him the mask. He looked at me for no more than a second, nodding his head in gratitude before turning his back and putting the mask back on. Upon doing that, he immediately got up from the floor and ran his hands through his perfectly sleek, dark hair, recomposing himself from the previous emotional breakdown. If any trace of the hurt, broken man from a moment ago still existed somewhere, it was long gone when he finally turned around to face me.

"Come, we must return." He flatly said, his voice now devoid from any emotion. "Those two fools who run my theater will be missing you."

And with that said, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me up from the ground, practically dragging me out of his underground lair. The journey back to my dressing room was cold and silence, and even though my Angel wasn't showing any more apparent signs of anger, I could still feel the tension lingering in the air among us. During the whole path I was trying to think of something to say to try and make things better, but nothing came to my mind. It was like my brain was completely numb after everything that's happened, and was now unable to process any kind of useful information. So I simply remained quiet and allowed him to guide me along the way.

When we finally arrived at my dressing room, he opened the two-sided mirror and let go of my wrist, lightly pushing me forward. I turned around to look at him, hoping to at least apologize for my behavior, but when I faced the full body mirror behind me, he was already gone.

I stood there for a moment, trying to understand the true meaning of that situation and, when I did, all I could do was collapse down on the floor, letting my tears finally flow free. I was never going to see my Angel again. After all this time, he had finally gathered the trust to reveal himself to me, not as an Angel of Music, but as a man, and in a matter of just a few hours, I had ruined everything. I wasn't sure of how my life was going to be now that I didn't have him anymore. I guess you really don't know what you've got till it's gone.

Feeling a sorrow I hadn't experienced in a while now, I got myself up from the ground and painfully made my way to the small bed on the corner of my dressing room, and crumbled down heavily on the mattress. My head was feeling light and my heart heavy. Feeling the weight of the exhaustion floor over my body, I closed my eyes and felt the last lonely tears run down my face before I drifted into a heavy, dreamless sleep with one single image on my mind. A pair of deep, sorrowful golden eyes.

* * *

 **Hello everyone, how're you guys doing? It's been a really long time since I last wrote anything, especially a POTO story! Anyway, this plot has been on my mind forever, and I have started to write it once, but due to an accident on my computer, I lost all files from my old chapters. But, looking at it now, maybe it was a good thing, because now I can experience the magic of writing this story again, even better than before! So, with that said, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and, if you did, please leave me a review telling me everything you have in mind! All feedback is welcome, as long as its done in a nice and constructive way. Alright guys, I'll see you in the next chapter, bye bye!**


	2. Demons

**Demons**

" _Don't get too close, it's dark inside. It's where my demons hide."_

* * *

I couldn't bring myself to sleep that night. My mind was rushing at the speed of light, and I kept pacing back and forth in my lair like a caged lion. How could she do that to me? After all I had done for her, how could she betray me like that? No matter what I did, I just couldn't forget the look of horror on her face when she ripped off my mask, taking all the illusion of her kind and beautiful Angel of Music with it. I wasn't able to hold myself back any longer after that. I allowed all my anger, all my madness to lash out at her, probably frightening her even more than she already was.

I collapsed down on my organ bench and hid my face in my hands, trying as hard as I could to push away all the awful thoughts that were going through my mind. This was all my fault. I was so caught up in her beauty, her sympathy that I let myself be carried away by the moment and made my number one greatest mistake. I showed myself to her. I should have stayed in the shadows, hidden safely behind my character of Angel of Music, when I had control over everything. But the pleading look in her eyes and the adoration in her voice were enough to burn all the bridges I had built, allowing myself to embrace the one feeling I should never welcome inside me. Hope.

Letting out a grunt of frustration, I straightened myself in the bench and started punching the keys of the organ with the fury of my melodies. Music was my only escape from the cruelty of the real world. When I become one with my music, nothing else exists beyond that. There is no pain, no frustration, no heartbreak. There's only beauty and freedom, a world where I can be a man and a genius, not only a gruesome freak whose own mother wasn't able to love.

I'm not sure for how long I played. It could have been hours, days. I honestly didn't care. Now that Christine was gone, I had no more reason to. For so long she had been my inspiration, the face behind my music and now that I had lost her, I had also lost my reason to love. So the only thing I could do drown myself in numbness, drowning any feeling deep inside my core, like I did when I was fighting to survive in Persia.

Before I met Christine Daaé, I had never allowed myself to fall in love. In fact, I didn't even know what it felt like to be in love until I laid my eyes on that small, fragile girl who held so much sorrow in her eyes that I didn't even believe it to be possible for someone of her age. And when she started to sing, I immediately knew that I had to be her tutor. I spent weeks trying to figure out a way of coming closer to her without revealing my true, horrific nature, and was not having any luck until I heard her muffled crying on the theatre's chapel one night.

Hiding myself among the shadows, I listened carefully as she mourned the loss of her loving father and spoke of an Angel of Music, who should have supposedly been sent by her father to guide and guard her after his death. And that's when it clicked on me. I was going to be that Angel. It was the perfect disguise and, with that, I could finally have my chance to know and tutor that girl. That's when it all began.

But I suppose things got out of hand when that stupid little fop came to see her and awakened feelings inside me that wasn't even supposed to exist. I became jealous and that was my first big mistake. I lost track of my emotions, even though I knew that even the smallest slip could ruin absolutely everything I had built between her and me. And that's exactly what happened.

As my frustration continued to grow, I started to play the organ more heavily, more furiously. If I wasn't so down below the level of the ground, I'm sure the entire Paris could have heard me playing. It came to a point where my fingers started to throb and even slightly bleed close to the fingernails. I had never been so mad, so furious. I knew I had to stop, otherwise I might end up destroying my instrument, so I forced myself to snap out of the trance I was in and, once I did, my very first reaction was to scream at the top of my lungs and rip the mask out of my face.

I got up from the organ and marched to the corner of the room where a full body mirror was hung on the wall and covered by a large piece of tapestry. I ripped the tapestry out of the mirror with fury, forcing myself to stare at my hideous reflection in its surface. That's who I was. A beast, a monster. And monsters don't deserve happy endings. They only deserved pain, and that's what I got for trying to be something I was not. I touched my deformed face and allowed the feeling of its marred, gruesome skin linger on my fingers as I repeated vehemently that one thought in my head. Monsters don't deserve love. Monsters deserve… Nothing.

* * *

 **Hello, my dear readers! Here's our very first chapter in Erik's point of view, isn't that exciting? For some reason, it was so much easier for me to write in his POV than Christine's, and I have no idea why, haha! Anyways, hope you guys enjoy this chapter, leave me a nice review if you did, and I'll see you in the next chapter! Bye, bye o/**


	3. Lockdown

**Lockdown**

" _If I could say the words, everything would be broken still. We are broken."_

* * *

I woke up the next morning feeling as if there were a thousand drums pounding on my head. I was lost and confused for a moment, not exactly remembering why I had slept in my dressing room instead of going home, to my flat. I sat down on the bed and slowly pushed myself out of it, feeling every muscle on my body ache as I struggled to get back on my feet. I looked around for a second, trying to take in my surroundings in hope of remembering something. Everything seemed oddly normal. All the flowers, cards and gifts from last night were still exactly where I had put them, aswell as my clothes and accessories from the performance.

It was like I had just woken up from a very strange dream. I sat down at my dressing table and stared at my reflection on the mirror. I had dark circles around my eyes and looked extremely exhausted overall. I was almost convincing myself that my confusion was simply due to the stress of performing as Eliza, my very first leading role, when something at the corner of my eye caught my attention. It was a rose. A single red rose. And that's when everything came back to me.

The mirror. My Angel. The mask. All the events from that strange night at the underground lair came all at once, shooting at me like and arrow and making my head hurt even more. Feeling the tears prickle behind my eyes once again, I buried my face in my hands and allowed them to fall. After crying myself to sleep the previous night, I would've believed that I'd have no more tears to shed for the loss of my fallen Angel. But apparently, I was wrong. There were no limits to the size of my frustration as I remembered every single detail of that night. How kind and caring he was to me and how I had betrayed him. I could still hear his voice echoing through every fiber in my body, making my heart beat violently in my chest as I remembered the way he had touched me.

Tired of crying and grieving over things I couldn't repair, I got up from the dressing table and walked towards my closet and chose a simple day gown. In all my despair, I hadn't noticed I was still wearing the delicate lace robe I had put on after my performance the other night, and that was something I definitely could not wear around the theatre. Once I was properly dressed, I took a second in front of the mirror to fix my curly hair that was wild and frizzy after a night of agitated sleep, tossing and turning around in bed.

I knew I was still looking absolutely horrible from the lack of sleep, but I couldn't do much about that, so I simply tried to put on the strongest countenance I could and walked out into the corridor. I found it rather strange that the backstage of the theatre was so empty, considering it was already Monday and Mr. Reyer rarely took breaks. Assuming the crew should be already reunited at the stage, I walked out of the wings to stumble upon a huge commotion which, upon my arrival, turned into a pandemonium.

"Christine! Oh my God, you're back!" Little Meg cried, running across the stage to involve me in a tight hug. "What happened? We thought you had been kidnapped, or even worse!"

I opened my mouth to say something, but was immediately interrupted by another horde of questions, inquiring my disappearance after the performance of Hannibal. I was trying to keep up with everything, but there were just so many voices wailing at once that it just made my headache even worse than it had been before. I tried to cover my ears and shut down all the noise when suddenly Madame Giry rapped her walking stick on the floor and immediately quieted the furious multitude.

"Could you all please give Ms. Daaé some space? It's obviously clear to us all that she has been through enough." She hissed, glaring at the overly curious crew. "My dear, I think its best if you went home. We'll talk about what happened when its proper."

I nodded gratefully at her, feeling relieve to have been freed of all the inquiry, but also nervous about what was to come next. I could simply make up an excuse and cease the crew's curiosity, but Madame Giry wouldn't be as easily fooled. I would probably have to tell her the truth, which frightened me to the bone, because I didn't know what might happen to my Angel if anyone found out about his true identity. But at that point, the only thing I could do was follow the dance teacher's instructions and just go home. After all, I definitely needed rest.

So, doing my best to avoid the suspicious and judgmental looks, I discreetly excused myself and walked out of the stage, giving Meg one last apologetic look before leaving the theatre. The morning air was fresh and invigorating, perfect for a troubled mind like mine. I spent the whole ride from the Opera to my flat thinking about my Angel. I didn't even know his name. I had only called him "Angel" or "Master" for such a long time that I barely noticed it anymore. But now that he had finally revealed himself to be a real man, made of flesh and blood like me, I suddenly longed to know more about him. But I honestly didn't know how to do that anymore.

He obviously didn't trust me anymore after what I've done to him. If I wanted to have the chance of ever seeing him again, I'd have to work really hard to gain back his trust. However, I wasn't really sure if that was even possible. I was at loss of possibilities. Maybe if I showed him how sorry I was for what happened… But I had no idea how to do that. I looked out of the window and miserable watched the streets. Perhaps what I did was beyond repair. Even if I took the courage to say the words I needed to, there was still a chance that it would not make any difference. Because I had broken him. And that was breaking me. We were hopeless.

* * *

 **Hello there, my dear readers! Things are starting to go hard on our poor Christine, aren't they? So, if you guys have noticed it already, all chapters of this story are named and based after songs. The thing is, I have created a Spotify/YouTube playlist with all the songs that give title to the chapters, and these playlists will be updated as the chapters are uploaded, with their respective songs as the story goes by. Both playlists are already created and have been updated with the first songs! Here's the link to the Spotify one:** **/7T1pqJ** **And YouTube one:** **/DFjcYK** **. I used google link shortener to make these, so just put the beggining on each of them and it should work. Both links will be at my profile aswell. Hope you guys have enjoyed the chapter and enjoy this little extra thing ;) Alright, I'll see you guys in the next chapter, bye bye!**


	4. Points of Authority

**Points of Authority**

" _Forfeit the game,_ _before somebody else takes you out of the frame and puts your name to shame"_

* * *

I wandered through the many tunnels and secret passageways of the Opera, doing my best to keep track of everything that was going on at my theatre. Those two fools that so called themselves "managers" of my Opera house were still due on my salary and still seemed to refuse to follow my instructions as to how they should run the place. And there was also that arrogant, foolish and pompous little boy that dared to bask in my Christine's glory, trying to take away everything I had worked so hard to conquer. But that was not going to happen.

Taking a specific turn on one of the massive maze of tunnels I had built beneath the Opera, I made my way to one of my favorite secret passageways of the theatre. The manager's office. I stood behind the huge two-sided mirror that hung on the wall right in the center of the room. Only Firmin was at the office, sat down on top of the table, like the proper gentleman he _wasn't,_ with a newspaper at his hands. He appeared to be amused by something.

" _Mystery after gala night",_ it says _"Mystery of soprano's flight". "Mystified",_ baffled Sûreté say _, "We are mystified, we suspect foul play"._ Apparently, we're having bad news at our soprano scene! First Carlotta leaves the company, and now Christine _mysteriously_ disappears after an astounding debut as _Prima Donna._ " He spoke in a very sarcastic tone, obviously making fun of the situation. "Well, at least the seats still get sold. After all, who doesn't like a good scandal, right?"

I watched carefully as he laughed and mocked the drama made by the local news, feeling the anger start burn in my chest as he spoke of Christine as if she was nothing but a mere pawn in his money making chess game. I was almost losing control over my growing rage, when suddenly André busted through the door and stormed into the room in complete ultrage.

"Damnable! Will they all walk out? This is damnable!" André shouted, clearly referring to the soprano's.

"Calm down, André, this is publicity! A vast take of free publicity for our theatre." Firmin bounces his friend off.

"But what good will that bring if we have no cast?" He shouted back.

"But, André, but have you seen the queue?" Firmin insisted, walking towards André's desk and finally noticing what I was hoping him to. "Oh, it seems you've got one too…"

With a satisfied grin, I observed intently as André took the note from Firmin's hand with a slightly confused look, and read it out loud for both of them to hear.

" _Dear André, what a charming gala, Christine enjoyed a great success. We were hardly bereft when Carlotta left. Otherwise, the chorus was entrancing, but the dancing was a lamentable mess."_

And upon the ending of his partner's note, Firmin took his own and followed André's example.

" _Dear, Firmin, just a brief reminder, my salary has not been paid. Send it care of the Ghost by return of post._

 _. P. O: no one likes a debtor, so it's better if my orders are obeyed."_

The managers looked at each other with a disdainful expression in their eyes, immediately beginning to wonder who would have the nerve to send such "abusive" notes and even ask for their precious money. But, apparently, my discrete signature at the bottom of the sheets was enough for them to assume that those notes had been sent by myself, the Opera Ghost and, upon finding out that information, both started to shamelessly diminish both my power and influence on the Opera House. I was a step away to turn my back and leave when suddenly the door busted open again to reveal an extremely distraught Vicomte.

"Where is she?!" He shouted at the managers, who were absolutely confused by the Vicomte's sudden appearance. "Where is Mrs. Daaé? I want an answer this instant, I take it that you sent me this note."

Completely outraged by Chagny's accusation, André thoroughly denied any participation on any of my actions, being immediately followed by Firmin who assured their Patron that they were in the dark. Taking the letter from Raoul's hand, André held it ahead of him and read it out loud just as he'd done with his own.

" _Do not fear for Mrs. Daaé. The Angel of Music has her under his wing. Make no attempt to see her again."_

"Well, if you didn't write it, then… Who did?" Chagny wondered to himself.

At the same moment he said that, another familiar, yet much more unpleasing voice, resonated through the room in an infuriated shout. Carlotta came barging into the room with Signor Piangi in her heels, looking deadly furious. I almost released a chuckle at the sight of the woman's ridiculously red complexion and the way her nostrils became dilated in her raging state. As always, the overly pompous soprano used her very advanced dramatic skills to create a complete thunderstorm out of a relatively simple situation, accusing the Patron of sending her a rather _venomous_ letter, of which he had absolutely no knowledge of.

" _Your days at the Opera Populaire are numbered. Christine Daaé will be singing on your behalf tonight, be prepared for a great misfortune, should you attempt to take her place."_

"There are far too many notes for my taste… And most of them about Christine." Firmin and André spoke almost in unison, staring at each other with tiredness in their eyes. "The only thing we've heard ever since we came here is Mrs. Daaé's name!"

"Mrs. Daaé has returned." Madame Giry announced with a bang of her staff, with little Meg right behind her.

"And where precisely is she?" Firmin asked without much interest.

"I thought it best if she went home."

"She needed rest!" Little Meg spoke with confidence, facing her usual shyness to stand up for her friend.

"May I see her?" Chagny asked anxiously, an action that made my blood boil in my veins.

Madame Giry quickly dismissed the Vicomte, telling him that Christine would see no one until she was feeling better. That fact tranquilized me a little, but I still wasn't the least bit pleased with the boy's pressing manners. However, as soon as Giry dismissed the Patron, both the managers and Carlotta confronted her, inquiring if Christine would sing or not. And It was at that moment that the dance teacher pulled out one final note assigned with my name.

" _Gentleman, I have now sent you several notes of the most amiable nature, detailing how my theatre is to be run. You have not followed my instructions. I shall give you one last chance. Christine Daaé has returned to you and I am anxious that her career should progress. In the new production of_ Il Muto _you will there cast Carlotta as the pageboy and put Mrs. Daaé in the role of countess._

 _The role which Mrs. Daaé plays call for charm and appeal. The role of the Pageboy is silent, which makes my casting in a word, ideal. I shall watch the performance from my normal seat in Box Five, which will be kept empty for me. Should these commands be ignored, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur._

 _I remain, gentleman, your obedient servant._

 _O.G."_

A minute of silence followed the reading of my letter, but as soon as it's gloomy nature was gone, Carlotta's infuriated, ear-piercing screech echoed through the entire room and, if one could say that, the entire Opera. The soprano started strutting around the office, screaming at the managers and uttering Italian nonsense, accusing them of being behind my whole plan, and only doing that to help Christine. She also pointed her chubby white fingers at the Vicomte, shouting that this was all a plan forged at his orders so he could have the innocent girl to himself. That part has gotten me seeing red.

What followed next was a huge confusion of hands and voices, as the managers tried to appease their infuriated _Primma Donna_ so she could return to her post. I could feel the rage and frustration burn through my veins as those pathetic fools kept on kissing that ridiculous excuse for a singer's feet and promised her the world and beyond, just so she wouldn't leave the company.

"Mrs. Daaé will be playing the pageboy! The silent role." Firmin finally announced, putting an end to Carlotta's furious rampage. "Carlotta would be playing the lead."

And that's when I absolutely lost it. If those fools weren't going to follow my orders at will, then I would show them _my_ way of doing it. Concentrating all the rage and authority into the projection of my voice, I used the best of my ventriloquist skills to make my message echo through the whole entire room, so that every insignificant living being on that place would hear and absorb it.

"So, it is to be war between us. If these demands are not met, a disaster beyond imagination will occur!"

And with that one last warning, I made up my mind to never let those pathetic puppets ever defy my authority again. From that moment on, they have officially declared war against the Phantom of the Opera. And that was a battle I was _not_ going to lose. That was a promise.

* * *

 **Well hello, guys! This chapter took a lot longer than the other ones to write, especially because this is one of my least favorite scenes on the musical xD But, it has to be done so I tried to make it as enjoyable as possible for you guys and actually condense it a little bit, because it's a hell of a long scene. Anyways, I hope you guys like this update and, just as a quick reminder, the playlists with the songs are now updated too, so you can listen to this chapter's song while reading it if you want! Alright guys, if you like this chapter, please leave me a review telling me your thoughts and opinions, and I'll see you in the next one. Bye Bye!**


	5. Shatter Me

**Shatter Me**

" _Somebody make me feel alive then shatter me"_

* * *

I wrapped my cloak tightly around my body to try and keep away the morning Parisian chill as I stood at the bottom of the stairs that led to the main entrance of the Opera Populaire. It was a cold morning in the city, and I was thoroughly pondering if I really should walk back into that place. The last day I had spent at home "resting" after my allegedly traumatic experience at the gala was spent doing absolutely everything but resting. I just couldn't stop thinking about my Angel.

It's amazing what a moment in solitude could do for your mind. I had spent every second of that day reliving even the smallest conversations I've had with him ever since we've met, trying to find something, _anything_ , that could give me a clue as how to gain his sympathy back, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I knew absolutely nothing about that man. The only thing we've ever had in common was music, and that was also the only thing I could be certain about him.

With an exhausted sign, I made my way up the Opera's stairs and entered the big main hallway. Everything was unusually quiet, which was odd, to say the least, since everyone should already be starting to work on the new production of the company, a comical opera called "Il Muto". It was also a new production, like Hannibal, and the casting had still not been announced. I was very nervous with the possibility of getting a bigger role this time, since Carlotta had left. Maybe I might even get the lead… But that wasn't really probable.

For some reason I still did not understand, people didn't seem to like me very much at the Opera Populaire. Meg was the only friend I've ever made ever since I arrived at the theatre, apart from my Angel, but I wasn't sure if I could even say that now. I've always been extremely lonesome on that place. People always seemed to look at me and see nothing more than just a poor young girl who'd lost her father at such an early age, but wasn't beautiful or talented enough to receive anything other than pity. But, once again, _he_ had been the very first one to ever see beyond that.

I was making my way thought the theatre's many corridors, trying to arrive at the main stage when suddenly something stopped me. It wasn't exactly something physical, but more like a feeling, deep down in my gut that told me I was being watched. I wasn't sure if I was scared or not, but for some reason, I felt like I had to stop and try to decipher that sensation for a moment.

" _Christine…"_

It was just the slightest whisper, almost brushing against my ear, but it was enough to send the most violent shivers down my spine. It was him, I knew it. I could recognize that voice anywhere; it was my Angel. I tried desperately to find the source of the sound, but it just seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. But he was there, I could feel it in my bones, as if he was part of me.

"Angel?" I tried calling, but heard no response.

"Christine?" Another familiar voice called behind me, startling me out of my dazzle.

And then he was gone. I knew it because that wonderful sensation I'd just felt a few seconds ago disappeared as quickly as it had come, leaving me with a sense of void inside of me that would be enough to throw me to the ground, if only a pair of warm and steady hands hadn't held me by my shoulders.

"My God, are you alright? You look pale as a ghost!" Raoul said with a deeply concerned look in his eyes as he tried to snap me out of my numbness.

I should've been happy to see him there, but the only thing I could feel was emptiness. Wherever my Angel had gone on that moment, he had taken a part of me with him. A part I didn't know if I'd be able to retrieve.

"Raoul? What are you doing here?" I was able to mutter after a couple of seconds, trying to recollect my thoughts as Raoul kept my legs from failing.

"I was actually looking for you. You simply disappeared after the performance the other day, we were worried sick!" He explained with a slight hint of desperation in his voice, looking at me as if I could vanish at any moment. "I had feared the worse!"

So, they thought I was kidnapped… Well, if you thought about it that way, then I probably was. The only difference is that I _wanted_ to go with my kidnapper. And I would do anything for it to happen again. Feeling way too drained to walk on my own, I let Raoul lead me to the stage, enjoying the safety of his embrace to let my mind wander. I was sure that what has happened earlier was real. My Angel was _there_ , right beside me; calling my name and inviting me to follow him. If only I've had a little more time… But that wasn't the moment to dwell on those thoughts anymore. I had to pull myself back together if I wanted to look at least presentable in front of the cast.

When we arrived at the stage, everyone was reunited on its center, probably waiting for Mr. Reyer to announce the official casting of the new production. I tried my best to ignore the nasty stares that were through at me when I made my way through the crowd to stand next to Meg, who simply took my hand with a gentle squeeze and smiled at me with reassurance. We would be alright.

"Attention, everyone, attention!" Mr. Reyer called out from the front of the stage, needing Madame Giry's help to quiet the multitude down. "Good morning, everyone! So, as some of you may have already heard, our new production will be the comedic piece "Il Muto", and today I will announce the official cast chosen for this production and then we'll start rehearsing."

A small pinch of nervousness hit me in the stomach when he said those words. On a place deep down inside my mind, there was this little piece of hope that kept telling me I should be excited about this show, that things were finally going to change for me. I had been hiding in the shadows of the chorus for such a long time, that I had almost forgotten I could actually have something to offer for the world. And now that I had been allowed to show this small fraction of my true self to Paris, there was a part of me that kept longing for more. I knew I could do better. I just needed a chance.

Mr. Reyer started announcing the smaller parts first, starting with the girl from the chorus all the way up to the singers. Meg actually got herself a nice part as a maiden, where she would even get her own dancing solo on the second act. I was really happy for her, but as the roles grew bigger and bigger, I was starting to get anxious because my name hadn't appeared yet.

"And now, for the two main roles, the casting choices are…" I heard Mr. Reyer say, feeling my stomach churn in anticipation. "Mrs. Carlotta Giudicelli as the Countess. Mrs. Christine Daaé will be playing the Pageboy."

My heart sunk upon hearing those words. I tried the best I could to hide my true disappointment when Carlotta came out strutting through the stage, boasting that same air of superiority she seemed to have been born with. I could already feel the tears start to sting behind my eyes as I realized what had truly happened there.

Carlotta had retrieved her place as the ultimate _Primma Donna_ of the Opera Populaire, and while I had been given a bigger role than usual, it was still the silent one. I was back in the shadows, slowly crawling back to the place where I came from, after all the light had been taken away from me. My chance had been violently denied.

Doing what I could to become invisible in the middle of that crowd, I discreetly made my way through the people until I had reached the safe darkness of the wings, where I finally allowed my tears to spill and ran off to the only safe place I knew that theatre. The chapel.

* * *

 **Hello, my lovely readers! Things are starting to get juicy, right? Haha, I'm pretty sure you're guessing that this is the place where our story is really coming to a start, with our poor, heartbroken Christine having her dreams taken away from her! But don't worry, you know I'm not gonna leave things like that. And also, just a quick disclaimer, I'm not gonna bash Raoul in this story but I'm neither going to encourage his love for Christine. However, I do have a pretty nice plan for him in the future, so, stay tuned for that! As always, please leave me a review with your feedback on this story, for I absolutely love hearing you guys' opinion. The musical playlists are already updated, so you can listen to this chapter's song already. Alright guys, I love you all so much and I'll see you in the next chapter. Bye bye!**


	6. It Will Rain

**It Will Rain**

" _Just like the clouds, my eyes will do the same. Everyday it will rain."_

I could feel the anger build inside of me as Reyer announced the official choice for the cast of _Il Muto._ Even after all my threats, those stupid, incompetent managers have decided to go against my will and cast Carlotta as Countess, while my Christine had been given the silent role of the Pageboy. But I wasn't going to let their arrogance come out unharmed this time. The war had been declared. And they had no idea of the weapons I would bring.

From my privileged spot in box five, I could have a clear view of Christine, standing on the back of the stage, apparently trying as hard as she could not to be noticed. She seemed tired and extremely gloomy for some reason. I refused to believe that it was because of me, but still… I couldn't find any motives why Christine would be grieving, since she had just conquered a dream when she played Eliza.

I had kept my careful gaze upon her when Reyer announced the parts, noticing each minuscule flinch and change of expression as she waited for her name to be called. It was clear to me that she had hopes of getting a better part in this production, since her debut as _Primma Donna_ had been so blazingly successful, so you must imagine the deception in her face when she was given the role of the Pageboy. I could literally see the light vanish from her eyes as they filled with tears, and even thought I tried to help it, just the sight of her misery was enough to make whatever was left of my heart break into a million pieces.

If I thought I've ever felt anger in my entire life, it was nothing compared to what I felt when I saw my sweet Christine make her way through the crowd of dancers and disappear in the shadows of the wings to mourn the complete havoc of her dreams. I had to follow her. And I knew exactly where she was going.

I made my way through the many tunnels of the opera house, feeling an odd sensation of familiarity as I got closer to my destination. That place had been the beginning of everything, all those years ago. She was so young and innocent, nothing but a child yearning for the guidance of her deceased father, who had left her so soon. For the first time in my entire life, I remember feeling sorry for someone else that wasn't me. And perhaps that might had been my greatest mistake.

When I arrived at the small chapel, Christine was already there, kneeling down before the modest shrine she had built for her father, with nothing but a picture of him and a single candle that she lit every time she went there. I stood in my hideout, making sure to be as quiet as possible, so I could listen to what she would say. Her tortured sobs were so heart-wrenching that it was hard for me to just stand there, listening. I wanted to come out from the shadows and hold her until every last bit of pain was gone, both hers and mine. But I knew I couldn't do that. So, I simply watched.

"Oh, my dear father, I'm so lost… I don't know what to do anymore. I thought I would be fine on my own, but I am not. I am not!" Christine whispered almost inaudibly, but with my trained ear, I was able to hear it clearly. "I'm so lonesome… And now the only person who's ever truly cared for me in this place is gone. I was foolish and now he left me, without even giving me the chance to apologize. To _understand_. I miss him so much, father. So much!"

Those words hit me like a bullet. Could it be true, that she actually regretted having betrayed me on that night at my lair? It was hard to believe. But I guess she wasn't the only one to blame. I have also betrayed her, when I pretended to be her Angel of Music. Maybe we were no more than two sides of the same coin, the only difference was that my betrayal had been more subtle, but definitely not less harmful. I wasn't innocent, nor was she. Perhaps it was time to leave the pride behind and be honest for once. I could never live without her anyway.

"Christine…" I called out gently in the dark, waiting to see her reaction.

Her head shot up in shock, and I could see the desperation in her eyes as she looked for the source of the voice that had just called her name.

"Angel? Is that you?" She asked, with her voice still weak. "Please, speak to me, I beg you!"

"I am here." I replied with kindness, finally coming out of my place in the darkness to welcome the only good thing I've ever had in my despicable life. Christine.

When I revealed myself for her one more time, the light that I had always loved more than anything in this world shone again in her eyes as they filled with tears. And before I could even realize it, she already had her arms around my torso and face buried in my chest as she cried profusely. My heart was beating so fast that I wouldn't be surprised to feel it explode inside my chest at any moment. Christine, my Angel, my muse, was actually holding me, and she didn't die! She's had the courage to hold a monster like me and it didn't kill her. If one could die of happiness, I swear I would've dropped dead on that very moment.

"Oh, Angel, you came back! I'm so sorry, I never wanted to hurt you, but I did anyway. Please, forgive me, Angel! Don't make me go through this alone." Christine cried exactly like she did when I first found her in this chapel, little after the death of her father.

Her desperate pleas of mercy were able to destroy every single wall I had built around my heart, and despite the fact that my whole body was paralyzed from the shock of having her body so close to mine, I still managed to wrap my arms around her small frame and hold her as tightly as I possibly could.

"Do not worry, my dear child. You will never be alone in this world anymore. I promise!"

"Thank you so much, Angel! Thank you for coming back to me." Christine said with her face still buried in my chest, and that's when I suddenly realized something.

"Erik." I simply told her. "My name is Erik."

She lifted her head to look me in the eyes, and I had to fight the unsettling urge to lift my hand and caress her face. She simply smiled and said:

"I'm glad that you're here Erik."

And for the first time in a very long time, I allowed myself to smile.

* * *

 **Ooooooh my goodness, our couple is finally back together guys! Tell me, did you like the way it happened? Do you think the pace was fine, was it too slow or too fast? Give me your feedback in the review section please, it's really important for me to know what you guys think! So, as you may imagine, now our story is really starting! With Erik and Christine together and willing to sort out their differences, things are going to get very interesting from now on. But anyway, I won't talk too much, otherwise I might spoil something and I don't want that, lol! And just before I go, I just wanted to thank an extremely kind guest reviewer that commented by the name Clara. Thank you so much for your review, Clara, you have no idea how happy I am to know that you enjoy my story so much! Your comment just made my day, seriously 3 Alright guys, hope you have enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next one, bye bye!**


	7. IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ!

**Hey guys, I'm really sorry to post this fake chapter again, but I really need to have a little talk with you. I've been going through a very busy period at my college and that is leaving me with barely any time to write at all. So, add that to a major writer's block I've been also facing and you must get a little idea of what I'm going to say. No, I'm not giving up on the story, don't worry. However, I am going to leave it on a little hiatus, just so I can organize things better in my life and also overcome this stupid block that's been killing me lately. I'll try to come back as quickly as possible, so you don't have to wait so much, but I can't really garantee when that will be. So, in the meanwhile, leave me suggestions in the review section below of what you'd like to see in the next chapters. Maybe that'll help me get over this block and start writing again ^-^ I love you guys so, so much and I hope you'll understand. I guess I'll see you soon then. Bye, bye!**


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